2023 Cadillac CT5 V-Series Blackwing new car reviews

Photography by David S. Wallens

A supercharged V8-powered Cadillac with a manual gearbox? What a time to be alive.

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David S. Wallens
David S. Wallens
Editorial Director

Ever think you’d see a day when you can buy a new Cadillac with a real manual box but not a Ferrari? And yet, here we are.

The CT5 V-Series Blackwing–powered by a hand-built, supercharged, 6.2-liter V8 that produces a rather stout 668 horsepower–idles with an urgency that recalls the ’60s greatest hits.

In an age of AI-whatever, this one sits there just vibrating once brought online. It has a pulse, like something waiting to be unleashed.

If this was your high school parking lot, this is the car that would have a crowd around it.

The interior here, though, is a bit more polished than the ones of our youth. No cassette deck jammed into the middle of the dash, no tach unceremoniously strapped to the steering column.

Instead, the CT5 V-Series Blackwing delivers super-supportive buckets paired with a perfectly grippy steering wheel. So much microfiber.

The gauges are digital yet clear and traditional.

The interior doesn’t try too hard. It has buttons for the important stuff. You don’t always need to navigate the DIC.

The car itself is the Right Size and, there, I even capitalized it. It’s roomy and comfortable but doesn’t drive big, if you know what I mean. It has a usable trunk and back seat.

The steering might be a tad over boosted and the shifter feels a little rubbery, but this is also a two-ton sedan and not a Miata. It feels appropriate for a sedan that, despite what the Cadillac website claims, likely isn’t heading to the track. (Of course, please share photos of yours on track.)

The Magnetic dampers are magical: firm yet comfortable.

The power: beyond abundant. No lag, no dead spots, no waiting. Yet it can still easily poke around.

Is this your next track car? Likely not but, like I said earlier, please prove me wrong. It feels like a comfortable, composed Camaro that can do almost anything: tear up a back road, handle the daily grind, take the family out to dinner.

Two costs for this ride, though: 15 mpg combined EPA along with a selling price right around the $100,000 mark. If you can make those numbers work, you will not be disappointed in the experience.

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Comments
759NRNG
759NRNG PowerDork
6/14/23 6:35 p.m.

Thank you for sharing kind sir.....gives me impetus to start attending to the maintenance issues I'm currently beset with (new clutch, new rear end with Strange 9inch, rebush IRS, find/repair gas tank leak, pull dash to R&R the HVAC controller)

APEowner
APEowner GRM+ Memberand UltraDork
6/14/23 7:59 p.m.

I don't know that that's what I'd buy if I was shopping for a $100,000 car but I'm excited that it exists and I hope that lots of people do buy them.  I also hope that at least one if those buyers brings it to one of the tracks I instruct at so I can drive it. 

earlybroncoguy1
earlybroncoguy1 Reader
6/14/23 9:03 p.m.

I want one so bad - V8 with lotsa horses, manual trans, nice interior......but the ass end of the car is just WRONG.

Where's the trunklid? The roofline tapers all the way to the spoiler. This ain't no Honda hatchback, GM - sedans should have a TRUNK.

Guess I'll just have to keep my Pontiac G8. Yeah, it doesn't have quite the power, but I do have a 418 forged, supercharged, intercooled stroker LS on an engine stand in the garage.

Perhaps I should install it.  

ShinnyGroove (Forum Supporter)
ShinnyGroove (Forum Supporter) Dork
6/14/23 9:10 p.m.

My buddy has one and it's incredible.  I lust after them, but it's a hard use case for me.  Basically my perfect daily driver, but I know where that would lead.  I would stress about keeping it nice, I would get bored of not being able to stretch its legs on public roads, and I would eventually tire of it.  At a similar price I'd probably get a C8 even though it would be wildly impractical by comparison.

calteg
calteg SuperDork
6/15/23 8:51 a.m.

Reminder that the '16-19 CTS-V only give up a little bit of power, look better, and cost tens of thousands less

wearymicrobe
wearymicrobe PowerDork
6/15/23 12:50 p.m.

Looked at these before buying the C8. The wait list is insane and the addendums at the time were 15-20K over sticker on a custom order but one hell of a car. 

bumpsteer
bumpsteer Reader
6/15/23 6:16 p.m.
calteg said:

Reminder that the '16-19 CTS-V only give up a little bit of power, look better, and cost tens of thousands less

They give up one critical item though:

A third pedal.

Spearfishin
Spearfishin New Reader
6/15/23 10:29 p.m.
wearymicrobe said:

Looked at these before buying the C8. The wait list is insane and the addendums at the time were 15-20K over sticker on a custom order but one hell of a car. 

Wife said I could place an order for one shortly after release, but only at MSRP. Dealer barely hid their laughter at the notion of sticking to MSRP. 

It was going to be a (big) stretch at $9x,xxx, so $125k was laughable to me. I'll stick with my 2nd gen V (with 3 pedals) while steady telling my wife I want a CT5 V blackwing. I'd settle for a slicktop, 6MT 2nd gen wagon, but those things have also found their way firmly out of my budget. 

Datsun310Guy
Datsun310Guy MegaDork
6/15/23 10:55 p.m.

In reply to Spearfishin :

The Corvettes and these do not get the employee discount.  I built the cheapest one but there's a leather package I can't get rid of.

My first house cost $91,500.  

I've got $25,000 saved for my next work vehicle so it's a mortgage - borrow $75,000 to get this?  LOL.  

 

kb58
kb58 UltraDork
6/15/23 10:57 p.m.
ShinnyGroove (Forum Supporter) said:

... I would stress about keeping it nice, I would get bored of not being able to stretch its legs on public roads, and I would eventually tire of it...

Yeah I recently sold a Jaguar F-Type R for the same reasons, including it having very little cargo space. Everyone's situation is different, and if you aren't driving the car - or don't want to - and aren't rich enough to store it and hope that it appreciates, it's time to move to something that'll get used.

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